Funked Again

Here I am again, covering the reception desk. This is the first time I've had "alone time" to be able to type. Although, I am more exposed here than I am in my own cubicle. But you know what? Who really cares. I just learned that I am stealing from my employer by surfing the web during company time. But you know what? Who really cares. Oh - did I say that already? The voices in my head are confusing me.

I am in another weird funk. Or is it the same funk? I can't tell. I was in such a bad mood yesterday after work that I turned OFF the radio. That's a clear signal that something is really wrong. My parents just got back from their trip to England and Ireland. Oh, it was lovely to hear all about it. Granted their trip wasn't without flaw. In fact it was a comedy of errors. (The image of my father putting the chair on top of the closet to make room in their tiny london hotel room is priceless.) But just hearing about Kylemore Abbey, and Clifden, and Blackhill, and Newcastle.... it just makes me want to go there!!

Kicking Myself in the Ass, Part 2

I hate it when I waste my own money! Can you believe I had an entire year to pay off my bed without incurring interest charges, and I missed the deadline by 1 day!! Andrew is right about me - I am lazy!

It's getting pretty bad around here. We can't even afford to buy soap!

And was it just my imagination or did someone just accuse me of lying by saying "your nose is growing"?? WTF?!?

I Like My Lovin' Done Country Style

Loretta Lynn rocks! I mean, c'mon - she's the first lady of country music! Now maybe I was swayed by my love of Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones, but Coal Miner's Daughter is one of my favorite movies, and it made me go out and buy Loretta Lynn's greatest hits. Besides "Coal Miner's Daughter," my other favorite songs are "You're Lookin' at Country" and "Out of My Head and Back in My Bed." And now I am so excited about her newest album Van Lear Rose, produced by Jack White! I haven't heard it yet, but the Lynn-White duet "Portland, Oregon" is supposed to be great.
And speaking of Jack White, I really want to get the soundtrack to Cold Mountain. I haven't seen the movie, but I love that old-time country music, such as was featured in the movie Songcatcher, so I know I will like this. Not only does it feature that Alison Krauss song for which Sting played the hurdy-gurdy at the Academy Awards, but it has 5 songs by Jack White.
Sidebar: I was a lateblooming White Stripes fan, I admit. I still wouldn't necessarily call myself a "fan," but I am definitely into them. I first heard of them when my next-cube-neighbor, who had been very generous with her CD loaning, asked me if I'd heard of the White Stripes, and loaned me White Blood Cells. This was at least 3 years ago. I hadn't heard of them, but I thought I'd give them a go. Well, I did not make a copy of the CD, that's how not into them I was.

I just downloaded two Joss Stone songs from Amazon. She's a 16-year-old British Soul singer (not "British Soul," but she's British and she sings Soul music). I only just heard of her a few days ago, and she's performing on VH1's Divas Live this weekend! It's a shame she is being typecast as a "diva" so quickly. She seems a lot cooler than the annoying teenage singers we have around here.

Freshly Sharpened Pencils

Yes, that's one of my favorite things. Along with Bic pens, college ruled spiral notebooks, and binders organized with dividers. Ok, I'm a geek. And I was just realizing that the main reason why I want to go back to school is so that I can buy all these things and not feel silly. So I can walk around with my binders and notebooks crooked in my left arm. So that I can fill those notebooks with pages of neatly written notes. Hey, I already said I'm a geek. You don't have to shout.
I have always loved paper products. Whereas some folk might spend their precious dollars on lip gloss or matchbox cars, I procured as many school supplies as I could carry. Pencil boxes, erasers, folders, you name it, I wanted it.

Plain, Otherwise Known As Dry

Here is my stance against condiments:
They are unnecessary - if your food needs comdiments to make it taste better, maybe you shouldn't be eating it.
They are messy - i don't understand how anyone can eat a turkey (or any other kind of) sandwich with mayonaisse or dressing slathered on and deal with all the innards slipping, sliding, and falling out. It's just ridiculous.
But I have begun to change. I agree that lettuce and salad tastes so bland it's disgusting, but it violates my "you shouldn't be eating it" rule because I should indeed be eating more salad. So I am not opposed to a little italian or vinaigrette dressing. In fact, I have begun to acquire a taste for it.
And just a little note about cream cheese. I don't think this counts as a dressing - it's a spread like butter or jelly. I used to abhor the very thought of cream cheese, but now I crave it like a person with cravings craves something. And that's a lot.

TGITh

I am in a relatively good mood today. That is, I am in a galumphing (sp?) down the stairs and skipping down the hall kind of mood. Here are some reasons why:
1. I am taking tomorrow off, so today is my Friday.
2. This morning I had a lovely bagel slathered with delicious cream cheese.
3. My boyfriend is taking me out to dinner tonight.
4. I had a very weird dream last night involving most everyone I know living in or visiting Thailand (at least I think that's where we were supposed to be), and we were staying in some kind of hotel that had an enormous series of secret passageways inside the walls, and I got sprayed by white paint when I was trying to get back to my room. (I love weird dreams.)
5. I am taking tomorrow off, so today is my Friday.

And a Good Friday It Is
Ok, I am not a particularly religious person. I have attended church on a few Good Fridays in my life and have partaken in the Stations of the Cross and the Adoration of the Cross. But beyond any religious connection, I have always loved Good Friday. When I was a kid, we always had the day off as part of Easter Vacation, and it was tradition for the three of us kids to go into the city with our dad. Mom never came with us, and I don't think I put two and two together about the obligation of such a holy day. I just assumed she was happy to have us out of her hair for a day. First stop was always Dad's office (he had a couple throughout the years). We loved to snoop through his desk and play with his flip-up phone book (remember those?) or run down the halls chasing after the all-black office cat, Inc. (get it?)
Next stop was usually Bill's Place for lunch. I have been back there recently and it is not nearly as big a place as I remember. But you can still sit at the counter and enjoy an excellent milkshake. And they have a koi pond in the backyard!
After lunch we'd usually go to Sausalito and tramp through the "Italian Villa," take a peak into the toy store, and of course get ice cream cones. On a few occasions we went to the Exploratorium, or occasionally we'd hit up a cool art store like Flax.
Although we only lived about 40 miles away, going into "The City" always seemed like such a big deal, like we were visiting another planet. It still feels that way sometimes. :)

Nothing beats drawstring pants!

Why do people feel the need to bring animals to work? Ok, I admit it, I am not an animal lover. But even so, you have to concede that it is quite distracting and even annoying to have to listen to a barking dog, or the coos of coworkers as they fawn all over it. Blech!!

FHB
I have been feeling very negative lately. I need to turn my frown upside down. Everything and everyone annoys me it seems. Like parents who bring extra kids to a birthday party and not only feed those kids but also help themselves to a heaping plate and sit down at the kids' table, while other kids have to share seats, and while I have my mother whispering in my ear "FHB" ("family hold back"). I was not short-changed a hot dog, so that's good. But sometimes being polite is very trying on the nerves.

Memories, Like

I was kind of having a freak out last night so I didn't get much sleep. Luckily everyone around here is too busy to notice me zoning out.

The Corner of My Mind
I was sitting in a meeting today, taking notes with my "Whale of a Job" pencil, and I suddenly remembered how I used to scrape all the paint off of dixon ticonderogas and break of the eraser so I could pretend I was living in the 1800's. Because, you know, that's what pencils were like back then. But not only that, I have been remembering all kinds of things lately. Like how we used to stir our ice cream until it was a creamy mush and then pretend it was porridge (why we like to pretend we're poor orphans, I have no idea), or how I loved to crumple and recrumple a piece of paper until became as soft as fabric. I assume these are the kinds of things all kids did, right?